Spicy Sausage and Pasta Casserole

Do you ever have those days where you impulse buy things you don’t usually use or particularly need just because it’s on sale and you have a killer coupon? That happens to me more often than I would probably care to admit. I mean, if the final price is going to be almost FREE, it just seems like doing the store a favor to take the merchandise off of their hands. That, and I get a little bit of a rush. Call it a ‘cheap high’. That’s exactly how I ended up with several packages of smoked sausage in my freezer that needed cooking and no ideas about what to do with it. Then I came across this cheesy nugget of a recipe at Kevin & Amanda‘s blog and decided to give it a go. You can never go wrong with a pasta and cheese combo. I altered it a bit to feed my larger family and it’s now one of my ‘fan favorites’. Seriously, it’s delicious. Give it a try…your taste buds will thank you.

Spicy Sausage and Pasta Casserole

•  1 lb. smoked sausage, cut into coin-sized slices
• 1 lb. pasta, rotini, penne, or campanelle
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 10 oz can Rotel, mild
• 2 cups mexican blend cheese, shredded
• 1/2 tsp each, salt and pepper
• 1/3 cup scallions, thinly sliced

Directions

1.  Over medium high heat, add olive oil to a dutch oven and toss with smoke sausage and onions. Saute until lightly browned. 
2. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, only about 30 seconds.
3. Add in broth, tomatoes, half and half, pasta, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
4. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to medium low.
5. Simmer until pasta is tender.
6. Remove the pot from heat and stir in 1 cup of cheese.
7. Transfer to a casserole or baking dish and top with remaining cup of cheese and scallions.
8. Broil until cheese is slightly browned and bubbly.
9. Serve.

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